page_title: Notre-Dame de Paris
section_title: Bells
hierarchical_section_title: Notre-Dame de Paris / Bells
caption_attribution_description: Paris for SIAM PP 2016
context_page_description: Notre-Dame de Paris, referred to simply as Notre-Dame, is a medieval Catholic cathedral on the Île de la Cité in the 4th arrondissement of Paris. The cathedral was consecrated to the Virgin Mary and considered to be one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture. Its pioneering use of the rib vault and flying buttress, its enormous and colourful rose windows, as well as the naturalism and abundance of its sculptural decoration set it apart from the earlier Romanesque style. Major components that make Notre Dame stand out include its large historic organ and its immense church bells.
  The cathedral's construction began in 1160 under Bishop Maurice de Sully and was largely complete by 1260, though it was modified frequently in the following centuries. In the 1790s, Notre-Dame suffered desecration during the French Revolution; much of its religious imagery was damaged or destroyed. In the 19th century, the cathedral was the site of the coronation of Napoleon I and the funerals of many Presidents of the French Republic.
  Popular interest in the cathedral blossomed soon after the publication, in 1831, of Victor Hugo's novel Notre-Dame de Paris.
context_section_description: The cathedral has ten bells. The bourdon, called Emmanuel, weighing at 13 tonnes and tuned to F sharp, has accompanied major historical events since its 15th-century casting, such as the coronation of French kings, papal visits, and the end of conflicts such as World War I and World War II. It also rings in times of sorrow like for the funerals of the French heads of state, tragedies such as the terrorist attacks on 11 September 2001, and on special holidays like Christmas, Easter, and Ascension. It was recast at the request of King Louis XIV in 1681, and escaped the events of the 1789 French Revolution.
  Four bells replaced those destroyed in the French Revolution. Placed at the top of the North Tower in 1856, these ring daily for the Angelus and the chiming of the hours. The first bell, named Angélique-Françoise, weighs 1,915 kg and is tuned to C sharp; the next bell is named Antoinette-Charlotte, weighing 1,335 kg and tuned to D sharp. The bell named Jacinthe-Jeanne weighs 925 kg tuned to F and the fourth bell named Denise-David weighs 767 kg and like the Grand Bell Emmanuel, it is tuned to F sharp.  In 1867, a carillon of three bells in the spire with two chimes that linked to the monumental clock were put in place and another three bells were positioned in the structure of Notre-Dame, so that they could be heard inside. These are mute, although a project is planned to restore the Carillon to its former glory. The four bells that were put in place in 1856 are stored, as of February 2012.
  About a year later, a new set of eight bells for the North Tower of Notre-Dame was produced, along with a Grand Bell for the South Tower, just as there were originally before most were destroyed during the French Revolution. The construction of bells was done with accuracy and precision to obtain the desired sound and the work was entrusted to two separate companies, one in France for the eight bells and one in Belgium for the Grand Bell. Each of the new bells is named to pay tribute to saints and others who have shaped the life of Paris and the Notre-Dame.
  Emmanuel is accompanied by another large bell in the south tower called Marie. At six tonnes and playing G Sharp, Marie is the second largest bell in the cathedral. Marie is also called a Little Bourdon (petite bourdon) or a drone bell because it is located alongside Emmanuel in the south tower. Built in a foundry in The Netherlands, it has engravings distinctive from the other bells. The phrases "Je vous salue Marie," in French, and "Via viatores quaerit," in Latin, which mean "Hail Mary" (where the bell gets its name from the Virgin Mary) and "The way is looking for travellers". Below the phrase is an image of the Baby Jesus and his parents surrounded by stars and a relief with the Adoration of the Magi. It is in charge of the Small Solennel, which is similar to the Great Solennel except that the ringing peal starts with the bourdon and the eight bells in the north tower. This rings only on 1 January (New Year's Day) at the stroke of midnight and it replaces Emmanuel for international events. Like Emmanuel, the bells are used to mark moments such as the arrival at the Cathedral of the body of the deceased Archbishop of Paris.
  In the North Tower, there are eight bells varying in size. Gabriel is the largest bell; it weighs four tonnes and plays an A sharp. It is named after the Archangel Gabriel, who announced the birth of Jesus to the Virgin Mary. Built in a bell foundry outside Paris in 2013, it also chimes the hour through the day. Like Emmanuel and Marie, Gabriel is used to mark specific events. It is used mainly for masses on Sundays in ordinary times and some solemnities falling during the week in the Plenum North. It shows 40 circular lines representing the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert and the 40 years of Moses' crossing the Sinai.
  Anne-Geneviève is the second largest bell in the North Tower and the fourth largest bell in the cathedral. Named after two saints: St. Anne, Mary's mother, and St. Geneviève the patron saint of Paris, it plays a B and it weighs three tonnes.
caption: Bourdon Emmanuel
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